Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Time for a Walk around the Curb Beds

The last update I did was a month ago, and it was fun for me to see how much the plants have grown.

The bergenias, heucheras, and hellebores that I moved to this area are all doing fine.

This bush clematis continues to be one of my favorite plants. It looks good all season. I'm figuring out this part of the bed is in the shade by 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I think the sedums could use a bit more sun, as they have been getting floppy. I tried pinching them back a couple weeks ago. Hopefully that will help.

The 2 persicara clumps I got from a friend died back, but I didn't give up on them, and am pleased they have grown new leaves. I looked up the spelling, and after looking at the images, think this is persicara amplexicaulis. I love it, and from what I just read online, insects like it, too. The sad plant behind it is the salvia plumosa I split into 2 clumps and planted. It perked up this evening, and looked much better. We've had quite a lot of rain, but are now experiencing quite the hot temperatures. It is supposed to be over 100 degrees tomorrow.

When I first started gardening, Stoke's asters were one of my favorites. They still would be if they had a longer bloom time. I need to deadhead them this year.

We've been facing north and a bit east, now we're facing north with a turn to the west. I've been filling spaces with a few more plants, some from other places in the yard, and with potted plants.

We're still facing north, and going east along the bed. The milkweed (on the right) is taller than it was last year. So far, the few I pulled out that went beyond where I wanted them have stayed pulled. The goldenrod is starting to bloom, even though I pinched it back.

Continuing east, we are almost to the sidewalk. I put a sweet potato vine in one of these holes near where bulbs are planted. I'm not sure if I'll like it, but I'll trim it back if need be. I missed harvesting lavender to dry, but did trim some that were flopping on the sides, and hung a few bunches anyway.

I have a closer photo of the winter savory in another photo. It's starting to bloom, and I didn't get any picked to dry, but I still can if I do it soon.

I am remembering that part of the reason for the holes by the curb is because of moving them 18 inches from the curb when they did the street repairs 2 years ago. I've been planting moss rose, but the squirrels have been worse than usual about digging plants up. I've been going around checking to make sure the newer ones are still planted. Some have not survived the ordeal. Some have had it happen more than once.

We'll continue east.

Turning the corner, we now face south, and are heading west.

I can't remember what kind of sea holly this is, but the kind I got for the other end is different. I like this prickly one. I think the plant I have the most of other than irises and daylilies is liatris. I seem to collect them, and have several different kinds. I missed getting the baby's breath cut to dry, too. I sure am enjoying them in the garden, even though they flop a bit.

This is looking back east at the edge of the sidewalk. The wood betony plants are doing well.

I moved several daylilies to this area last year. They are looking better this year than last.

Looking back west:

This winter savory was one of the first plants in this bed, and has done well each year.

Facing south:

Heading west:

The daylilies were a bit spent after the hot day.

Most of the 'Spooky' dianthus leaves turned brown, so I trimmed them back, hoping they will grwo and boom again. This one didn't do that.

Our nights are cool enough this week, that it is very comfortable working in the garden in the mornings. I went out as soon is it was light out this morning, and hope to tomorrow, as well. I hope you are keeping cool, wherever you are.

Wow Sue, I love your garden beds. They are full of so many different types of foliage, flowers and herbs. What a joy it must be to watch your gardens start growing again after a long winter. Then to watch everything fill in and bloom.

I do so enjoy visiting your lovely garden, Sue! It's the kind of garden that really grabs my attention as you have so many different plants each vying for attention. It exudes LOVE. By this I mean it is so obvious that the person who has created and tends the garden has done so with a great deal of passion and love and this is one of the things that make your garden stand out from so many others.

I enjoyed this tour this morning, Sue. You have such a variety of plants--you're my kind of gardener.

I was just thinking the same thing as Sue, your last commenter: this is one way to slow down traffic:) I know I couldn't drive by without slowing down to take it all in--heck, I'd have to stop and ask if I could just walk around it.

Your betony is stellar! I never considered growing it because I've only seen it looking puny in the store, but if it looks like THAT, I want some!! I find my yard is a bit dry and we are having to water today. Hot and humid here!

So nice, Sue! Wonderful stones to walk through the beds on. I love how things are just 'spilling out' of the bed in the topmost shot! Those daylilies are beautiful as well. My earliest one just opened up this morning.

I made a few changes to my blog, grey writing seems to show up better.

Drove through Nebraska on the way home yesterday. I was really impressed with wildflower plantings along highway 81. Everything was green and growing. Noticed all the milkweed also. Your garden is filling in nicely and i like your use of blues, purples and lavender. Nice.

I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.

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About Me

I am married with 2 grown children and two grandsons. We live in the house on a corner lot that my husband grew up in. I have been talking him out of more grass over time in order to increase space for gardening. We have veggies, annual, biennial and perennial flowers, some wild and/or native, and herbs sharing growing areas. We recently had to have the tree in our front yard cut down, and I am putting mostly native plants in this area. I love seeing insects, especially bees and butterflies frequent the blooms, and have some plants for the caterpillars to eat.

Short-toothed mountain mint

Echaneaceas paradoxa and pallida

Wild quinine

Whorled milkweed

Ironweed

Wild senna

Grayhead coneflower 7/25/13

All photos are taken by me, and are current unless stated otherwise. They enlarge when clicked on, or you can push "control" and "+" several times, until the photos are a size you like. (If I am in the pic, then it was taken by my husband.)

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The photos and writing here, errors and all, belong to the author of this blog. Please do not republish them without permission.